Quilter gauge



Feb. 13, 1962 s. KA-rz 3,020,864

QUILTER GAUGE Filed Aug. 18, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l sway 9 INVENTOR.

501m Kc: tz

"5 "0 38 a l 5' ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 13, 1962 s, KATz 3,020,864

QUILTER GAUGE Filed Aug. 18, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3am Korlz.

ATTORNEYS.

United Stes Patent 3,926,854 Fatented Feb. 13, 1962 ice 3,020,864QUIL'EER GAUGE Sam Katz, Fashionbilt Garment Co., 815 Washington, KansasCity 5, Mo. Fied Aug. 18, 1959, Ser. No. 834,512 3 Claims. (Cl. 112153)This -vinvention relates to a quilter gauge, and more particularly to aguide attachment adapted to be secured to a sewing machine head andhaving guide members adapted to be extended on to the material beingstitched to guide the same and insure a straight line stitching.

Heretofore, various devices have been devised for guiding the materialalong a sewing machine lbed for forming hems or the like, but none ofsuch devices havebeen entirely successful. Such apparatus have failedbecause the guide member would move upwardly or downwardly according tothe thickness of the material being sewed, and would prevent a straightline stitch.

It is the principal object of the present invention, therefore, toprovide a quilter gauge having guide members wherein the guide memberswill rest against the bed of the machine during operation except when itis desired to be raised and thus will efficiently guide the materialregardless of the thickness thereof.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a head or block towhich the guide arms are adjustably attached having sockets oppositelyfacing each other for receiving a hollow bearing member which, in turn,receives the Shanks of the guide members; to provide the sockets -withan offset portion forming a shoulder having spaced longitudinal openingsand the hollow bearings with spaced longitudinal openings on a shoulderthereof; to provide coil springs having their free ends turned laterallyfor engaging in the respective openings in the block and in the sleevedbearing for exerting tension on the guide members and whereby theadjustment of the coil wire springs in the openings will vary thetension on the guide members; to provide spring means on one face of theblock members cooperating with the sleeved bearings for the guidemembers for holding the guide members out of position when not in useand which will retain the guide members in lowered position against thespring action upon a plane surface of the sleeve bearing which retainsthe guide arm.

Still further objects of the present invention are to provide the guidearms for adjustment to variuos widths of hems on the garment materialworked upon and one of which guide arms may be moved out of the way fora different sized hem without adjustment other than raising the arm; andto provide a device of this character simple and economical tomanufacture.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, Ihave provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms ofwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view of my quilter guide shown attached to asewing machine head and the guide members in lowered position as in use.

FIG. 2 is `a top plan view of the guide.

FIG. 3 is -a View similar to FIG. 2 but taken from the opposite side ofthe device.

FIG. 4 is a side view particularly illustrating the guide members whenin use.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the guide members partly in fragmentary andshowing one of the arms in raised position in dotted lines.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional View taken on a line 6-6, FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on a line 7-7, FIG. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a quilter gauge embodying the features of my inventionshown attached to a presser foot bar 2 of a sewing machine head 3 havinga needle bar 5 and needle 6. A foot 7 is attached to the foot bar 2 andis bifurcated as indicated at 8 forming a slot through which the needle6 passes when in use as is the usual practice.

The quilting guide includes a block or head 9 having side faces 10 and1'1 and a front edge 12. The block is provided with an opening 13 forreceiving the presser foot bar 2 and is provided with a laterallythreaded opening (not shown) for receiving a set screw 14 for retainingthe block on the foot 2.

Extending inwardly from each side face 10 and 11 of the block 9 aresockets or openings 15 and 16. Adapted to engage in the openings 15 and16 are sleeved bearing members 17 and 18 each having a sleeve portion 19and an enlarged portion 20 forming an annular shoulder 21 provided withspaced longitudinal openings .22. The block 9 is offset in the openings15 and 16 forming shoulders 23 `and are also provided with spacedlongitudinal openings 24. The openings 22 and 24 are adapted to receivethe respective ends 25 and 25 of a coil spring 26 which surrounds thesleeve portion 19 of the bearing members 17 and 18. The sleeved portion19 of each of the bearing members 17 and 18 extends through the openings15 and 16 in the block and are provided with annular grooves 27 forreceiving 'a keeper member or key 28 for retaining the sleeved bearingmembers in the block.

Guide members 29 and 30 having shank portions 31 are adapted to engageand be adjustably mounted in the bore 32 of the sleeved bearing members17 and 18. The bearing members 17 and 18 have collars 33 and 34 whichengage against the respective sides 10 and 11 of the block and arecounterbored and threaded as indicated at 35 (FIG. 7) for receiving aset screw 36 for adjustably mounting the Shanks 31 of the guide membersin the blocks.

The bottom 37 of the block is provided with spaced grooves 38 and 39 forreceiving at springs 40 and 41', the ends of which are tapered asindicated at y42 and 43 (FIG. 3) and extend over the sides 10 and '11 ofthe block. The collars 33 and 34 of the sleeved bearings are providedwith plane surfaces 44 and 45 (FIG. 5) and the surface 45 terminates ina shoulder 46. The plane surfaces meet as indicated at 47 (FIG. 4). Theends 42 and 43 of the flat springs y40 and 41 engage the plane surfaceswhen the guide members are in position in the block.

In operation of the device constructed and assembled as described, thematerial 49 is placed on the bed 50 of the sewing machine and byloosening the screws 36 the shanks 31 may he positioned to the desiredplace so that a ycertain width hem 51 may be made in the cloth 49. Theshanks of the guide members are turned at an angle downwardly asindicated at 52 (FIG. l) and then laterally outwardly or forwardly ofthe machine as indicated at 53, and are provided with elongated feet 54and 55 which are curved on their bottom sides as indicated at 56 andthen upwardly as indicated at 57. Guide member 29 is adjusted outwardlyfrom the member 30 so that the foot 54 will be spaced from the foot 55on the guide member 30. The rounded surfaces 56 of the feet 54 and 55are adapted to engage the bed 50 of the machine and guide the hemtherealong when the machine is operated. The spacing of the feet on theguide members may be adjusted so that different size hems may be made inthe 3 garments without stopping to adjust the shanks of the guidemembers in the blocks merely by raising one of the guide members to outof use position as shown in dotted lines 58 (FIG. 5).

When a certain width hem is desired, the foot 54 of the guide member 29is adjusted so that the hem will engage against the inner side thereofas best illustrated in FIG. 1, and the foot 55 of the guide member 30'may be engaged along the top of the hem or it may be moved upwardly asindicated in FIG. 5. Also, if the foot 55 of the guide member 30 is inuse and engages the edge of the hem, the guide member 29 may be elevatedand held out of position.

It will be obvious that the guide will stay on the bed of the sewingmachine regardless of thickness of the material being worked upon due tothe tension of the coil spring 26. Adjustment of tension on the feet ofthe guide members is accomplished by the coil spring 26 by adjustment ofthe ends 25 and 25 thereof in the openings 22 and 24 in the blocks andin the sleeved bearings respectively.

When the feet of the guide members 29 and 30 are in lowered position,one edge of the ends 42 and 43 of the at springs 40 and 41 will engagethe shoulder 46 on the plane surfaces 45 of the collars 17 and 18 asshown in FIG. 5. The shoulder limits downward movement of the feet onthe guide members, but the coil springs will allow them to move upwardlyshould the material increase in thickness or the bed of the machine beirregular. When it is desired to raise the feet of either of the guidemembers 29 and 30, manual upward movement of the feet will cause the atsprings 40 and 41 to move over the corner 47 and the ends of the flatsprings will then engage the plane surface 44 and hold the guide memberin elevated position. The guide arms 29 and 30 will thus be easilyelevated from their down positions and will be automatically retained intheir out of the way positions by the same springs which hold them intheir use positions. Either guide arm may be used and the other armraised out of position when not in use.

It will be obvious that the coil spring arrangement of applicantsbearing sleeves when the blocks in connection with the shanks of theguide members is a new arrangement for exerting tension on the guidemembers not heretofore known or used.

Applicant has herein described a particular form of his invention whichhas been developed and used successfully but he does not wish to belimited to the specific forms here described and illustrated as otherforms may be used without departing from the spirit of his invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A quilter gauge for attachment to a sewing machine comprising, ablock adapted to be secured to the presser foot bar of said machine,said block having openings extending therethrough, said openings facingon each side of said block and said block having an offset portion insaid openings forming a shoulder therein, bearing members having asleeve portion for engaging in said openings in the block, said bearingmembers having an enlarged portion forming second shoulders thereonfacing the iirst named shoulders, a collar on said bearing members, apair of guide members having feet engaging in said bearing members,means for holding the guide members in adjusted position in said blockwith respect to said presser bar, said collars on said bearing membershaving two plane surfaces angled with respect to each other, leaf springmeans secured to said block and having their end portions engaging saidplane surfaces of said collars and extending parallel to the sleevebearing members whereby the leaf spring members will retain the guidearms either in use position or out of use position, means engaging theshoulders of said block and said bearing members for exerting tension onthe guide members to urge the feet in a downward direction, and meansfor adjusting the tension on the feet of the guide members, one end ofthe sleeve portions of the bearing members extending through theopenings in said block and having an annular groove therein, and akeeper member in said groove for retaining the bearing members in saidblock.

2. A quilter gauge for attachment to a sewing machine comprising, ablock adapted to be secured to the presser foot bar of said machine,said block having openings extending therethrough, said openings facingon each side of said block and said block having an offset portion insaid openings forming a shoulder spaced from one side of said block,spaced openings extending longitudinally of the block around saidshoulder, bearing members having a sleeve portion for engaging in saidopenings in the block, said bearing members having an enlarged portionwith spaced openings longitudinally of the sleeve portion therearoundextending in the same direction as the openings in the offset portion ofthe block, a collar on said bearing members engaging the respectivesides of the block, coil springs surrounding said sleeve portions andhaving the respective ends engaging in the openings in the said shoulderof said block and in said offset portion of the bearing members, a pairof guide members engaging in said bearing members, means adjusting thetension on said guide members, means for holding the guide members inadjusted position in said block with respect to said presser bar, oneend of the sleeve portions of the bearing members extending through theopenings in said block and having an annular groove therein, and akeeper member in said groove for retaining the bearing members in saidblock,

3. A quilter gauge for attachment to a sewing machine having a bedcomprising, a block adapted to be secured to the presser foot bar ofsaid machine, said block having openings extending therethrough, saidopenings facing on each side of said block, bearing members having asleeve portion `for engaging in said openings in the block, said blockhaving an offset portion forming a shoulder spaced from one Side of saidblock and surrounding said sleeve portions of the bearing members, saidshoulder of said block having longitudinal spaced openings therein, saidbearing members having an enlarged portion forming a shoulder spacedfrom the other side of said block and facing the first named shoulderand forming a space around said sleeve portion of the bearing member,said last named shoulder being provided with longitudinal spacedopenings facing the openings in the first named shoulder, a collar onsaid bearing members engaging the respective sides of the block, coilsprings in said spaces surrounding said sleeve portions and having theirrespective ends turned laterally and engaging in the longitudinallyfacing openings in said shoulders of said block, a pair of guide membershaving shanks engaging in said bearing members, feet on said guidemembers for engaging the bed ofthe sewing machine for guiding thematerial worked upon, said coil springs urging the feet on the guidemembers toward said bed, means for holding the guide members in adjustedposition in said block with respect to said presser bar, said collars onsaid sleeve having two plane surfaces angled with respect to each other,leaf spring means secured to said block and having their end portionsengaging said plane surfaces of said collars and extending parallel tothe bearing members whereby the leaf spring members will retain theguide arms either in use position or out of use position, one end of thesleeve portions of the bearing members extending through the openings insaid block and having an annular groove therein, and a keeper member insaid groove for retaining the bearing members in said block.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,552,133 Becker May 8, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 927,252 Germany May 2, 1955

